Director, Assortment Management

Ross Stores • Dublin, CA

2d • $119,800 - $225,250 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Assortment Management will oversee the analysis and execution of assortment strategies for their assigned team. They also align with Merchant leaders on the assortment vision to develop an allocation approach that provides the optimal product mix for our customers. They lead the translation of broad Merchant priorities and guidelines into actions for their Director team and ensure the clear communication of execution levers to internal Allocation partners. The Director, Assortment Management oversees work of their direct reports and holds them accountable for achieving assigned goals.
As a Director, Assortment Management, you will:
Meet with Merchant and Planning cross-functional partners to drive Product strategies.
Collaborate with your business partners to give guidance, identify opportunities, and provide potential solutions to improve store assortments.
Lead Manager teams to translate Merchant business strategies into Allocation levers that can be executed.
Drive cross department communication to ensure accurate execution of assortment strategies and business objectives.
Communicate with Merchants, Planning, and other external key business partners to establish and achieve assortment goals. Ensure VP and business partners stay informed.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Merchandising, or related field
• 8-10+ years of Allocation, Planning, Merchandising, or related retail function
• 5+ years of experience leading, building and developing a team
• Demonstrated ability to translate enterprise merchandising strategies into actionable assortment and allocation frameworks
• Strong analytical expertise with ability to leverage data, insights, and financial metrics to influence business decisions and outcomes
• Proven ability to influence and partner with senior leadership (VP+) to shape strategies and drive alignment
• Experience operating in a high-volume, fast-paced retail environment with complex assortments and store variability
• Strong executive communication skills with ability to present complex analyses and recommendations clearly to senior stakeholders
• Advanced proficiency in analytical tools and systems (e.g., Excel, planning/allocation systems, data visualization tools)
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and drive organizational change

Nice To Haves

• Experience managing large-scale assortment strategies across regions, clusters, or store tiers
• Experience influencing or supporting enterprise-level merchandise or inventory strategies
• Exposure to test-and-learn environments, predictive analytics, or assortment optimization tools
• Experience leading organizational transformation, process improvement, or capability-building initiatives

Responsibilities

• Meet with Merchant and Planning cross-functional partners to drive Product strategies.
• Collaborate with your business partners to give guidance, identify opportunities, and provide potential solutions to improve store assortments.
• Lead Manager teams to translate Merchant business strategies into Allocation levers that can be executed.
• Drive cross department communication to ensure accurate execution of assortment strategies and business objectives.
• Communicate with Merchants, Planning, and other external key business partners to establish and achieve assortment goals. Ensure VP and business partners stay informed.
• Lead a data-driven team to identify Assortment opportunities and communicate implications to internal/external business partners.
• Work collaboratively to influence stakeholders to adopt plans that optimize sales, margin, and markdowns for assigned products.
• Oversee the execution and analysis of below-class strategies, limited store distribution, style breadth and depth, assessment of region/store assortment needs, and additional assortment related ad hoc analysis.
• Analyze and understand broad implications of assortment strategies on business objectives and communicate implications to your team and internal/external business partners.
• Manage the analysis and assortment activities to support the execution of seasonal strategies, holidays, events and shops.
• Clearly articulate your point of view; comfortable presenting your analysis, insights, and recommendations to Executive Leaders (VP+).
• Negotiate effectively and push back when needed in a diplomatic way.
• Ensure allocation strategies, including business nuances, are clearly communicated to direct reports, internal partners, and other business partners as needed.
• Recommends alternative approaches to accomplish goals.
• Thrive in a fluid environment, ensuring our work supports an ever-changing business climate.
• Learn from our business experience but have the courage to push the boundaries of our knowledge.
• Think beyond the data and established processes to optimize store assortments and drive increased sales volume.
• Lead team of Manager/Sr. Managers and indirect Analyst reports.
• Empower team to bring ideas forward.
• Engage in regular career and developmental conversations with direct reports.
• Conduct and manage the performance processes to identify key areas for associate development, ensuring fair and time-bound measurement and assessment of accountabilities throughout focal year.
• Drive ad hoc business strategies or special projects as required.

Benefits

• The base salary range is $119,800 – $225,250. The base salary range is dependent on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, qualifications, relevant education, certifications, seniority, and location. The range listed is just one component of the total compensation package for employees. Other rewards vary by position and location

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director